Truth Seaker
by greengale2
Summary: Minato Arisato VS. Souji Seta
1. Chapter 1 Silent Stranger

Chapter 1 – Silent Stranger

After their difficult battle with Izanami, Souji and his friends decided to return to their homes. It was almost midnight when they got out of Junes.

As they were leaving, Souji looks back at Junes for one last time since tomorrow is his departure. Gazing at the radiating full moon above Junes, he glances at the rooftop to see their "secret headquarters" one last time, although in the darkness of the night, it looked somehow different yet it was still the same, he thought.

He felt nostalgic to see the full moon since he hasn't seen it for a while due to the strange fog that has been occurring for the past year. They all departed afterwards.

After finally being separated with everyone, Souji receives an unexpected text message. It reads, "Come to the Velvet Room immediately". The sender is unknown but Souji guessed it was probably Margaret who sent this message.

Fortunately, he was at the Central Shopping District when he received the text message. It was about a minute until midnight when he came in front of the door to the Velvet Room. Somehow, Souji felt like there was something strange about the door, like it was different for some reason. He decided to ignore this strange feeling of his and opened the door.

A bright light emerges as soon as he opens the door to the Velvet Room. The light was blinding his sight but he continued onward until he got inside.

"I've been expecting you", Souji heard a familiar voice, it was faint but he could still make out what it was saying.

"Why did you call me out here?" asked Souji to whoever was calling him. A dark figure then emerges before him as his vision gets clearer.

The blinding light soon passes and Souji can now see who was in front of him. It was young man who was wearing a school uniform but it wasn't a Yasogami uniform. He looked like about the same age as Souji. The young man showed no expression, his eyes can't be seen due to the hair covering almost half of his face. A dark mysterious aura surrounds him.

As Souji gets a clearer vision, he soon realizes he was not in the Velvet Room but a whole different place. The whole area was covered with white light. It was empty and you can't see any edges. The horizon looked like it will never end. Only their own shadows could be seen on the floor.

As Souji turns back his attention to the young man, Souji noticed that he was a holding gun point on his head.

"What are you doing!?" shouted Souji, being dismayed by the young man's actions.

The young man's lips started moving but there was no sound coming out. As Souji looked closer, he begins to distinguish what the young man was saying. Souji was surprised knowing full well what the young man said, the word that he's been hearing for the past year, "Per-so -na".

The sound of the trigger echoes through the vastness of the room followed by the sound of shattered glass. Then four Personas appeared in front of the young man. The four Personas started gathering around Souji. In front of him was Thanatos, on his left was Orpheus, on his right was Orpheus Telos and behind him was Messiah.

"Another Persona-user!?" said Souji as the Personas gathered around him. "But how can he summon so many personas at the same time!?" he felt somewhat nervous. "This guy is… dangerous"

The four personas vanish and Souji began to calm down a bit but still confused from what was happening.

"Who are you?" asked Souji.

The young man's lips started moving his lips but again it was silent.

"His name is Minato Arisato".

Souji hears the familiar voice from before but he could not tell who it was. He looked around but there was no one there. Only he and the mysterious person could be found.

"Now is the time to summon your true potential" echoed the voice.

"Wh-who are you!?" cried Souji, feeling a bit annoyed.

"I am thou, and thou art I." whispered Minato in a faint voice but somehow Souji heard it.

Souji quickly returned his attention to Minato as he heard this. He thought of what his predicament could be. Everything was all too confusing. It was like what had happened a year ago in Inaba where he first sought the case.

"Beyond the beaten path lie the absolute end" continued Minato, "It matters not who you are… Death awaits you"

"Death…?"

Souji felt dumbfounded.

Minato again triggers the gun and a huge shadow started to appear behind him. Its face looked like a mask and its whole body was covered in black feathers. Its wings stretched as the eye can see and it carried an extremely long sword.

"My God! Can a persona get that big!?" starting to panic, he told himself to calm down.

"Now's the time to reveal your true potential" continued the unknown voice from before, "To defeat him, you have to strike him once."

"Once? Why?"

"He has surpassed all limitations. To even get near him would be a difficult task"

"So he's that powerful… What if I refuse to fight?"

"Then you will die…"


	2. Chapter 2 Empty Smile

Chapter 2 - Empty Smile

Souji's body started shaking as the thought of death entered his mind. Breathing more heavily from the anxiousness, he closed his eyes for a moment and gripped his fists tightly. Suddenly, he took a deep breath as to try to calm down. The dense air in the room could not calm him as he expected, but to win, he must have a clear mind and a strong resolve.

In a few moments he opened his eyes. The fear inside him was still burning inside but he decides to ignore all that. Souji looks straight into Minato's eyes as he emits a fiery determination. Souji pulled out of his katana hidden in his uniform and pointed it straight into Minato's direction.

Minato stands there, staring at the ground, bearing no emotion. The distance between them was only a few feet away as Souji thought although the room itself looked like an illusion. The uncertainty could bring about his downfall. Attacking him directly would be reckless as such, Souji decided to wait for now.

"I wonder how many Personas he has in his repertoire." pondered Souji, "I shouldn't leave my guard down, I have to be careful. One false move could kill me."

"Nyx… " whispered Minato in a soft tone.

The huge persona vanished suddenly. Souji was surprised as to why he did that.

"What is he planning" thought Souji as he moved one step back.

"Come forth, Jack Frost"

Minato summoned Jack Frost. Jack Frost was merrily floating around him like a child.

"Jack Frost!? Is he underestimating me?" mumbled Souji, feeling a bit annoyed.

"Jack Frost… Niflheim…"

"Niflheim!? Jack Frost can't have that ski--"

Jack Frost casts a giant ice berg that hurtles toward Souji. Fortunately, Souji was able jump out of the way before Niflheim could hit him.

"Jack Frost… Sonic Punch…"

Jack Frost glides towards Souji. Because Jack Frost was so fast, Souji was unable to dodge it this time and Jack Frost lands a critical hit that knocks him to the ground. After the attack, Jack Frost vanished.

"*cough* *cough* I never knew Jack Frost was so strong… I guess it depends on the user on how strong a Persona could get."

Souji quickly gets up feeling a bit of pain in his gut. "I guess it's my turn but… I got to choose my Personas carefully though" Souji thought.

"It doesn't matter what Persona you choose…"

"What? What do you mean it doesn't matter!?"

"You cannot defeat me… You are too weak"

"Weak? Even if I am weak, it's still too early to give up! I might not be able to defeat you but at least I tried."

"Hmm… You're a stubborn one… You already know you cannot defeat me yet you still continue to fight."

"But still… I gotta try! I-I don't want to die here! That's my decision."

"You cannot avoid death. To live is to die, they are one in the same."

"You're right… I WILL die but… Even if I do win, I'm still going to die someday."

"You understand this fact yet you still keep on fighting."

Souji looks down on the floor then gazes back at Minato. Preparing to attack, he grips the katana tightly but Minato neither reacted nor moved for that matter.

"For the past year, I've been investigating a mysterious case." said Souji slowly.

"I know…"

"Every time I enter the T.V. world, I risk my life for people I'm not even attached to."

"That's just proves you're a naïve boy."

"Maybe your right, maybe I am naïve. But I don't regret it!"

"What makes you say that?"

"Because… If I haven't continued this investigation, I wouldn't have become friends with them all." Souji smiled, "Yosuke, Chie, Yukiko, Teddie, Kanji, Rise and Naoto, they're all precious to me." Souji points at Minato with a determination, "That's why I won't give up because Life is precious and shouldn't be thrown away. I'll continue to do my best 'till the very end!"


	3. Chapter 3 Human Nature

Chapter 3 - Human Nature

Minato began to walk forward toward Souji casually. As the footsteps got louder, Souji became more and more anxious. Strangely, Minato pulled back his gun.

"Is he waiting for me to lose my guard?" assumed Souji.

"You are very… kind." continued Minato as he was walking toward Souji's direction, "If Izanami haven't given you your Persona, Izanagi, I wonder if you would be able to face yourself."

"Hey, I've been wondering something, why do you use that gun to summon your Persona?"

Suddenly, Minato paused for a moment. Souji became even more anxious now. He started sweating again thinking that one wrong move could jeopardize his life. Souji moved back a little then Minato spoke.

"You don't know?" said Minato pompously, "I'm a natural unlike you."

"Natural? You mean you're good at fighting?" Souji asked presumptuously.

"No, I don't mean natural as in talented, I mean I had my persona when I was born."

"Hmm, I see…" Souji quickly understood, "So I guess you use that gun to summon your Personas."

"It's called an evoker. It was designed to evoke your Persona to summon them." Minato pulls out his evoker, "It was given to me when I was still alive. I knew the cost, but I didn't regret it" he raises it up and gazes at it. "We're pretty alike, you and I… Yet we're different as well."

"What do you mean, when you were still alive?" said Souji, thinking he might have misheard him.

Minato slowly lifted down the evoker "Well enough talking. Let us continue with our battle." the evoker, now pointed on his head. "Persona"

"Persona!" Souji quickly reacted and summoned Rangda. Souji thought that Rangda will give him an edge in fighting since it could withstand physical attacks.

"A persona that can nullify any physical attacks, am I correct?" Minato said enthusiastically.

"What? How did you know?" Souji became panic-stricken.

"I know everything about your Personas… I've been watching you… for the past year." Minato's Persona started to take form, "I know everything about you."

A bewildering fog started gushing out as it forms. The whole area was filled with fog. As Souji's loses sight of Minato, he quickly took out his glasses that Teddie gave him to be able to see through the denseness. His vision gets clear but he can't see Minato anymore, only their Personas.

As Souji takes a closer look on Minato's Persona, he became silent all of a sudden.

"But that's my Persona! How did you?" cried Souji.

Minato has summoned Izanagi before his eyes. Souji felt at a loss. He took a few steps back before he fell on the floor. "Izanagi's battle aura is immense" said Souji, felling the fear deep down inside.

"Don't you remember? Adachi summoned Izanagi too…" spoke Minato as he revealed himself.

"Yeah but, it looked different" said Souji as he was pointing directly at Izanagi "But that Izanagi looks exactly like mine!" cried Souji.

"I told you before that your persona was only given to you by Izanami." continued Minato "Izanagi is not your true façade."

"I see…" said Souji as he slowly started getting up, "Everyone encountered their true self except me right?"

"Enough of this, Izanagi, Ziodyne!" demanded Minato.

There was not enough time for Souji to dodge the attack. All he could do now is endure it. In an act of desperation, he called out Rangda that blocked the attack. Souji was unhurt but Rangda burned to the ground in an instant. Staring at the remains of his Persona, he thought that a few moments ago that could have been him.

"D-Damn it…"


	4. Chapter 4 Bloody Blade

Chapter 4 - Bloody Blade

"Have you given up?"

Souji didn't answer for he was still fixated from Rangda's remains. Then without thinking, he pounded his forehead into his fist. The sound of his fist echoed across the room and blood started oozing out. He let out a sharp cry.

"*groan*I went a little overboard…."

"What are you doing?"

"I don't know either… My head feels like it's gonna explode…" Souji was wobbling around and looked like he was going to fall down at anytime.

"Get serious!" shouted Minato annoyingly.

"I am serious!" said Souji as he stopped wobbling then whipped the blood off his head.

"Izanagi, finish him."

Izanagi attacks with its blade but Souji blocked it with his katana. As they were crossing swords, they both stared into each other's eyes. They both jumped back and the battle between their swords begun.

"I never thought I would be battling you, Izanagi." said Souji like he was an old acquaintance.

Izanagi kept silent and dashed at him. Izanagi's attacks were relentless and Souji can neither attack nor summon a Persona. Surprisingly, Souji could keep up with Izanagi and kept on dodging all of its attacks. Minutes have passed, Souji was losing stamina at a rapid pace and it wouldn't be long before he makes a mistake. As they were dueling, Souji suddenly noticed Minato pulling out his evoker.

"Do you think I was just gonna stand here and watch?" said Minato as he lifted his evoker.

"Why can he summon so many Personas at the same time? Dammit! If I don't do something, I'm screwed. " thought Souji.

"Come forth... Jack Frost..."

Minato triggers the evoker and summons Jack Frost again. Minato then commands Jack Frost to use Niflheim as Souji was still dueling with Izanagi.

"Dammit! Dammit! Dammit!" shouted Souji until Izanagi's blade cut through his left shoulder. Blood went gushing out of him like a fountain of blood. Souji screamed at the top of his lungs and he knelt down, the pain was agonizing. He was now surrounded by a pool of his own blood. Minato called off Jack Frost.

Souji stopped shouting and tried to get up, but the anguish was etched in his face. He quickly grabbed his katana and used it as a cane to get up. His left hand went numb but the bleeding stopped. Souji's left hand was dangling in the air while he was holding the katana on the right hand. The fog lifted suddenly as Izanagi and Jack Frost vanished.

"To almost get your arm ripped off and loose so much blood but still able to get up." continued Minato, "Fine, I will finish you with one blow", he smirked.

"Izanagi !" cried Souji as he cuts the card in front of him. He drops the katana soon after.

"Izanagi…" said Minato as he triggers his evoker.

They both summoned Izanagi. The fog has shrouded the area again as soon as Minato's was summoned. Two of them have come forth, each of them restlessly waiting to attack. The tension between them has grown.

"Now we'll see who has the strongest Persona."


End file.
